We are pleased to announce that Sunnyside/Urko recording artist Diego Urcola has been nominated for a 2004 Grammy award in the Latin Jazz Category for his recording “Soundances.” This comes after Urcola’s nomination for the 2004 Latin Grammy in the same category. Congratulations to Diego!

The 2004 Sunnyside release “Jerry Gonzalez y Los Piratas del Flamenco” continues to rack up award nominations a year after its release. The album, whose concept found its origins in the popular film by Francisco Trueba, “Calle 54,” garnered a nomination for the 2004 Latin Grammys, and a nomination in the Latin Jazz category at the 2004 Grammy Awards. Now the prestigious Jazz Journalist Association has nominated the record for best Latin Jazz album as well.

The album is a stunning fusion of jazz and flamenco music, the vision of charismatic trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez.

Sunnyside Records is pleased to announce a partnership with bassist Dave Holland to release his future recordings in the United States, under his new label imprint, Dare2 Productions. Universal Music Jazz France will distribute these recordings outside of the United States.

This partnership marks a new chapter in Holland’s recording career and serves as both an honor and a challenge to Sunnyside Records, an independent jazz record label that, during the past twenty years, has released albums by Fred Hersch, Jerry Gonzalez, Luciana Souza, Kirk Lightsey, Steve Nelson, Kenny Barron, and Chris Potter among others.

There are few jazz artists that are as beloved by critics and fans alike as Dave Holland. In the 2004 DownBeat Magazine Readers Poll issue Mr. Holland won 5 awards: Best Jazz Artist, Best Jazz Album (Extended Play), Best Acoustic Group (Dave Holland Quintet), Best Big Band (Dave Holland Big Band), and the award for Best Acoustic Bass Player. He also won several awards in this year’s DownBeat Critics Poll, including Artist of Year for the second time.

In 2004, Sunnyside Records released albums by two close Holland associates - Chris Potter (Lift: Live at the Village Vanguard) and Steve Nelson (Fuller Nelson), respectively the saxophonist and vibraphonist in both Holland’s quintet and big band.

The first album that will be released by Sunnyside/Dare2 is a new big band recording available in early 2005, the follow-up to the Grammy award winning big band release, What Goes Around.

In the June 2004 issue of Downbeat Magazine, Jay Clayton’s album “Circle Dancing” was named one of the 30 all-time best vocal jazz recordings. “Circle Dancing,” released in 1997, features her Seattle-based quintet featuring Briggan Krauss (alto sax), Jim Knapp (trumpet), Randy Halbertsadt (piano), Phil Sparks (bass) and Aaron Alexander (drums). Clayton has two other albums on Sunnyside, Brooklyn 2000 and “Beautiful Love” with Fred Hersch.